Straight

There’s a story about a boy who was given an assignment by his father to paint the line markings of an amateur football field. This boy’s dad recommended he used an instrument to help him ensure he painted on straight lines. But the boy thought he could do without it: how hard could going straight possibly be?

And so, on he went.

He thought he was doing a pretty good job at it until he climbed the stands to assess his work. The lines he’d painted on could be described by any word other than straight.

“O Lord, I know that the path of [of life] a man is not in himself; it is not within [the limited ability of] man [even one at his best] to choose and direct his steps [in life].”

(Jeremiah 10:23, AMP)

In no uncertain terms, the Bible declares to us that it is inherently impossible to plan our lives and determine how it would go, especially if it’s a life meant to be lived for God. Perhaps the reason why this is so is because of man’s inability to see beyond his immediate timeframe.

Like the boy in our story, we may think that we’re doing well: charting a course with our own intuition and gut feeling. But many times, a review of the years spent would show how we slowly but steadily drifted off course from God’s plans for our lives.

Hence, planning for the future cannot afford to be an exercise powered by our own intuition and feeble projections. God sees the end from the beginning. He exists outside of time and sees the whole fabric of existence, spanning from the past, through to the present, and into the future.

If perhaps all you currently see is the “red of suffering”, God sees the whole rainbow – His promises He’s bringing to pass in your life. If you become fixated on finding your way out of that suffering, instead of relying on God for direction, it’s possible you move into a place devoid of “red”; but also devoid of the full spectrum of God’s providence.

While you may only see where you’re coming from, and where you are, God sees the end of the path you’re towing. The Bible says God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all we can ask or think. If you think you can devise a way that would be better for you, God can lead you in the way that is best for you: the straight and narrow way.

This year, quit relying on your own wisdom to chart your course. Choose to trust God to lead you into the beautiful plans He has for you.